Therapeutic Recreation

The program will provide the student with the knowledge, skills and professional practice competencies, culminating in entry to the professional credential Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (C.T.R.S). The therapeutic recreation curriculum is aligned to other allied health programs, with professional preparation rooted in an education based on the foundation of liberal arts designed to ensure a practitioner who is capable of critical thinking, communication, and an individual who demonstrates a strong core of central values regarding life, culture and the global community. The program follows a sequenced curriculum with students entering each fall going through the curriculum as a cohort group.

Title: Therapeutic Recreation Program

Degree Offered: B.S. Therapeutic Recreation

Administrative Location: School of Health Professions, Science and Mathematics Division

Phase I

Phase I consists of having the following prerequisites met or be enrolled at the time application for admission is being made. The prerequisites are:
Overall GPA of 2.7 or above
PSY 101
BIO 120
CHM 109

Phase II

Phase II consists of the actual application process. Students must submit all application materials to the Director of the Therapeutic Recreation Program. The application consists of the following and all must completed by and submitted by March 1, prior to the intended entry year.

Submit application for program admission by March 1st, prior to the intended entry year.

Provide an autobiographical sketch

Provide a statement of professional goals

Have completed a minimum of 50 hours of verified volunteer or paid work in therapeutic settings.

Provide letters of recommendation from two recreation/therapeutic recreation or related health care practitioners with whom the applicant has completed volunteer and/or paid work

Phase III

Upon completion of Phases I and II, students will be notified of provisional admission into the program and will be asked to set up an advising appointment with the Director of Therapeutic Recreation. Students will be given a permit to register for REC 110 and 111 for the fall semester. Upon successful completion of these two courses (80% competency/B- in each course), they will be granted full admission into the Therapeutic Recreation program.

Transfer students will follow the above process and meet the same criteria. Students should note that is is best to complete only one year at another institution (i.e., community college). This would facilitate completing the therapeutic recreation program at Grand Valley within the three year and one semester rotation of therapeutic recreation course work. Transfer students should have a copy of the course syllabus for any recreation classes they are wanting to transfer to Grand Valley State University Curriculum

Course Offerings:

Therapeutic Recreation Courses

Cognate Courses

REC 110 Foundations and Philosophy of Recreation

BIO 120 General Biology II

REC 111 Foundations of Therapeutic Recreation

CHM 109 Introductory Chemistry

REC 200 Leisure Education

CHM 230 Introduction to Organic and Biochemistry

REC 253 Diagnostic Groupings in Therapeutic Recreation

HPR 100 Medical Terminology

REC 256 Therapeutic Recreation Programming

BMS 208 Human Anatomy

REC 308 Recreation Leadership

HPR 220 Health Care Delivery

REC 310 Interventions in Therapeutic Recreation

BMS 290 Human Physiology

REC 312 Therapeutic Recreation for Mental Retardation *

BMS 291 Human Physiology Lab

REC 313 Therapeutic Recreation for Physical Disability *

MOV 300 Kinesiology

REC 315 Therapeutic Recreation for Mental Health *

MOV 304 Physiology of Activity

REC 316 Therapeutic Recreation with the Elderly *

PSY 101 Introductory Psychology

REC 317 Therapeutic Recreation for Pediatrics*

PSY 303 Abnormal Behavior

REC 318 Field Work in Recreation

PSY 364 Life-Span Developmental Psychology

REC 380 Special Topics

STA 215 Introductory Applied Statistics

REC 404 Issues in Recreation and Leisure (capstone)

REC 405 Administration of Therapeutic Recreation

REC 407 Assessment & Evaluation in Therapeutic Recreation

REC 490 Internship in Therapeutic Recreation

Note: * indicates these courses are electives of which 2 must be taken

Fieldwork in Therapeutic Recreation

Eligibility for fieldwork includes the completion of prerequisite REC courses with 80% competency and current certification in CPR and First Aid. All students complete 300 hours of paid or volunteer experience in therapeutic settings for 3 credit hours. Students will fulfill the requirements as outlined in the fieldwork manual.

Internship in Therapeutic Recreation

Eligibility for internship includes completion of all REC courses with 80% competency (internship is the last course taken) and current certification in CPR and First Aid. All students complete 600 hours, 15 week, full time, clinical experience for 12 credit hours. Students will fulfill the requirements as outlined in the internship manual.

Minors

Most frequently sought minors by students in Therapeutic Recreation are those of Psychology and Aging and Adult Life. However, many other minors are very complimentary with Therapeutic Recreation.

Sample Curriculum:

First Year

FALL

WINTER

CHM 109 Introductory Chemistry (5)

BIO 120 General Biology II (4)

FS 100 Freshman Seminar (1)

WRT 150 Strategies in Writing (4)

MTH 110 Algebra (4)

HPR 220 Health Care Delivery (2)

PSY 101 Introductory Psychology (3)

General Education Course (3)

General Eduction Course (3)

General Education Course (3)

Credits: 16

Credits: 16

Second Year

FALL

WINTER

REC 110 Foundations of Recreation & Leisure (3)

REC 200 Leisure Education (3)

REC 111 Foundations of Therapeutic Recreation (3)

REC 253 Diagnostic Groups in Therapeutic Recreation (3)

CHM 230 Introduction to Organic and Biochemistry (5)

HPR 100 Medical Terminology (2)

General Education Course (3)

BMS 208 Human Anatomy (3)

Credits: 14

STA 215 Introductory Statistics (3)

Credits: 14

Third Year

FALL

WINTER

REC 256 Therapeutic Recreation Programming (3)

REC 310 Interventions in Therapeutic Recreation (3)

REC 308 Recreation Leadership (3)

REC 312 Therapeutic Recreation for Mental Retardation (2)*

BMS 290 Human Physiology (3)

REC 313 Therapeutic Recreation for Physical Disability (3)*

BMS 291 Human Physiology Lab (1)

PSY 364 Life Span Development (3)

General Education Course (3)

WRT 305/General Education Course (3)

Credits: 13

Credits: 12/14

SUMMER

REC 318 Fieldwork in Therapeutic Recreation (300 hours)

Eligibility: 80% competence in REC designated courses

Credits: 3

Fourth Year

FALL

WINTER

REC 315 Therapeutic Recreation in Mental Health (3)*

REC 317 Therapeutic Recreation for Pediatrics (3)*

REC 316 Therapeutic Recreation with the Elderly (3)*

REC 404 Issues in Recreation/Leisure (3)

REC 407 Assessment & Evaluation in Therapeutic Rec. (3)

REC 405 Administration of Therapeutic Recreation (3)

MOV 300 Kinesiology (3)

MOV 304 Physiology of Activity (3)

PSY 303 Abnormal Psychology (3)

General Education (Theme) (3)

Credits: 12/15

Credits: 12/15

SUMMER

REC 490 Internship in Therapeutic Recreation (600 hours)

Eligibility: 80% competence in REC designated courses

Credits: 12

Note: * indicates these courses are electives of which 2 must be taken

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